Korea tops Japan 1-0 for fourth straight men's football gold
Eom Ji-sung's second-half winner gave Korea a narrow victory over host Japan in the Asian Games men's football final, continuing a gold-medal winning streak in the event that began in 2014.
Korean players celebrate after beating Japan 1-0 in the men's football gold medal match at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 at Toyota Stadium in Toyota City, Japan, on Oct. 3.
YONHAP
The Taeguk Warriors edged out host country Japan 1-0 to win their fourth straight Asian Games gold medal in men's football on Saturday.
Eom Ji-sung's 61st minute goal stood as the title winner for Korea at Toyota Stadium in Toyota City, some 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) east of the main host city, Nagoya.
The teams traded a couple of early chances before settling into a lull.
In the sixth minute, Eom Ji-sung, who scored a hat-trick in Korea's first group stage match, dribbled into the box and unleashed a right-footed shot from the middle that missed high. Then three minutes later, Japan announced their presence in the contest when Tariqkani Hayato Okabe nearly headed home a Mihiro Sato corner, sending the ball just over the top of the goal.
Chances were later hard to come by for a long stretch, until Yuya Fukunaga found himself open inside the right corner of the box and rolled his shot just wide of the far post in the 37th minute.
Japan then came out of the break firing, with Fukunaga, Yumeki Yokoyama and Rion Ichihara each taking shots that threatened the Korean net, but without result.
However, it Eom opened the scoring for Korea against the run of play in the 61st minute.
Yang Min-hyeok stripped Mihiro Sato of the ball with some determined play on the right wing and sent a cross toward the goalmouth. Goalkeeper Rui Araki lunged to get a piece of the ball but ended up deflecting it Eom, who faked out defender Rei Umeki with his right foot and unleashed a left-footed shot to the top shelf as he fell.
Japan still controlled the match, however. Hisatsugu Ishii struck the right post in the 79th minute after Yuto Ozeki's pass pinballed off the leg of Yudai Shimamoto on its way to Hisatsugu, catching Korean defenders off guard.
Japan could not put one into the opposing goal despite dominating possession in late stretches. Korea spent the rest of the match hanging on for dear life, coming away with the gold. Korea have now defeated Japan in three consecutive Asiad men's football finals.
Yonhap
